I've used these recipes multiple times, but most recently was for the Superbowl. For the shortbread hearts (I also did stars!) I like to dip half of them in my chocolate ganache. It provides a little visual variety on the plate, not to mention it pleases the chocolate lover in all of us. The other nice thing about the hearts and the linzer cookies is they have the same shortbread base, which has VERY few ingredients. The difference comes when you cut out the shapes. If you choose to arrange them on a plate together, you have 3 different cookies with a consistent "theme," but not too boring to look at.
As a last note: take the butter out of the refrigerator AT LEAST two hours before using; don't be afraid to leave it out over night.
Shortbread Hearts
Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Ina Garten)
3/4 pound unsalted butter (3 sticks), at room temperature
1 cup sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter. Place the hearts on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Linzer Cookies
Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Ina Garten)
3/4 cup good raspberry preserves
Confectioners' suger for dusting
Follow directions for shortbread hearts until you take the dough out of the refrigerator.
Roll the dough 1/4-inch thick and cut 2 3/4-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter. With half of the rounds, cut a circle out of the middle with a 1-inch cutter. Place all the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.
Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature. Spread raspberry preserves on the flat side of each solid cookie. Dust the top of the cut-out cookies with confectioners' sugar and press the flat sides together, with the raspberry preserves in the middle and the confectioners' sugar on the top.
*Once you cut out the shortbread you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week or even freeze them for longer if you need.
